Message from the Chair
Welcome to the 2024 academic year! We are thrilled to embark on another exciting year for the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department. Last year, our department thrived with robust enrollment, and our graduates continued to be in high demand across industry. Our faculty and students were also highly productive in research, collectively producing 83 publications—a testament to their dedication and innovation.
In June 2024, we had the pleasure of celebrating 168 graduates from our programs at a memorable event in Hoffman Hall. The celebration, attended by students, friends, and family, was a resounding success. We proudly honored 48 undergraduate, 117 master’s, and 3 Ph.D. graduates. Additionally, we marked the completion of the third year of the Portland Institute Nanjing program, a joint initiative between Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications and Portland State University. We were delighted to welcome both undergraduate and graduate students from China, who spent one or more years enriching their academic journey at Portland State.
For those seeking information about the ECE department, we offer comprehensive degree programs at the Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral levels. The ECE department is the second largest within the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science (MCECS) and proudly supports one of the largest Master’s degree-granting programs on the West Coast. Our undergraduate degrees are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). We are proud to share that last year, our programs underwent a rigorous ABET assessment, resulting in renewed accreditation with zero shortcomings—underscoring the quality and rigor of our curriculum.
As an urban research university located in downtown Portland, OR, we focus on several key areas, including Power Engineering, Signal Processing, IC Design and Test, Computer Architecture, Embedded Systems, Electromagnetics, and Acoustics. We have three main research focus areas: Computer Architectures, Environmental Sensing and Monitoring, and Power Engineering. Our faculty members are highly involved in their respective research societies, with many holding the title of Fellow. Both undergraduate and graduate students have opportunities to engage in cutting-edge research alongside our faculty, supported by programs such as the MCECS Undergraduate Research and Mentoring Program. Additionally, we are proud to have completed the second year of our Frank and Ken Summer Undergraduate Research Program, which continues to provide invaluable research experiences for our freshman and sophomore students. Our facilities for teaching and research are state-of-the-art, including our newly renovated and expanded Electronics Prototyping Laboratory (EPL).
We take pride in our diverse student body, which includes both traditional and non-traditional students. Many of our students balance part-time or full-time work while pursuing their ECE degrees, and we strive to accommodate their varied needs through flexible course scheduling.
Our department maintains strong collaborations with local technology companies and regularly engages with our Industry Advisory Board. These partnerships have been instrumental in developing our exceptional Senior Capstone Program. Additionally, most of our undergraduate students complete at least one internship, with many undertaking two or more. Our graduate students also benefit from many internship opportunities with local industry.
The ECE Department remains committed to making significant contributions to the local community while conducting research with a global impact. As we pursue continuous improvement, we invite you to join us in further strengthening our department.
Martin Siderius
Professor and Chair